Two More Dumb Questions

[fishpaw]

I hope I'm not filling the board up with dumb questions but here's a couple that I've wondered about for my whole life and nobody I've asked ever seemed to know the answers:

(1) Is is a good idea or a bad idea to let a car just idle for 5-10 minutes (or 2 minutes or whatever?) on a cold winter morning to warm it up before driving?

(2) Is it important to run the air conditioner once a week or so, even in the winter, to keep it lubricated? I had to replace my J30's A/C at about 45k miles even though I rarely use it, and I'm thinking maybe that's exactly the reason why it broke.....I rarely use it.

By the way, I am NOT driving my mommy's car and whoever says I am is a liar!

[szh]

I hope I'm not filling the board up with dumb questions but here's a couple that I've wondered about for my whole life and nobody I've asked ever seemed to know the answers:

(1) Is is a good idea or a bad idea to let a car just idle for 5-10 minutes (or 2 minutes or whatever?) on a cold winter morning to warm it up before driving?

It is an excellent idea - 5 minutes is a decent time. Heats the engine oil and gets your engine ready for load. Without causing oil starvation problems and lots of heat from high revs. After you start out, it is also good not to accelerate too hard the first 5 to 10 minutes - to let the transmission fluid come up to the correct temp.

Z

[PalmerWMD]

Hi fishpaw:)

Welcome to our little club, I'll leave your otehr J30 specific posy up to the J30 guys but for your questions here:1) Yes, (while there is a school of thought that disagrees) most feel that it is best for the engine to wait at least 2 minutes ( some say until your coolant temp indicator displays some movement), The colder it is outside ,the longer the wait.

2) Yes run it at least every other week.

Fred...

[Jesda]

Invest in remote start. When I'm in my cubicle about 10 minutes away from the end of my shift, I hit the remote start from my desk. When I come out, I get to sit in a toasty warm car.

-Jesda

[AZhitman]

LOL @ Jesda's sig line...

Welcome to NICO, fishpaw! No question is a dumb one - We're glad you're here, and glad to help!

[fishpaw]

Invest in remote start.

-Jesda

I always wanted one of those remote starters! Unfortunately my car is only cold when in my attached garage and I worry about carbon monoxide etc seeping into my house, so I have to move it outside to warm it up. Poor me, life is full of these awful hardships.

[Q45tech]

Properly maintained even 90Q will generate so little CO that it is impossible to kill yourself with that method any longer.

[elwesso]

I think waiting until the temp gauge starts moving is a bit long, as it takes a while for it to even start moving..... 2mins seems adequate to me, but I usually shoot for 5 mins every morning.....

The best thing to do with the AC is just to leave it on auto.... It will have the compressor going all the time (in the winter very little), and its a good idea.... I dont think this was done on my car, and the AC is cold but not freezing like I want it..... Im gonna have to get a vacuum and recharge next spring.....

[IvoryJ30t]

i usually wait until i get some heat from the vents, then good to go.

not full hot, just until the air comes out a little warmer than the air in the car.

[VimyJ]

I wait until the temp. gauge moves then easy acceleration until the needle moves well into the "warm". I've noticed that my transmission is taking about 2 minutes longer to warm up. Pan drop and filter change about 40k ago.

[AZhitman]

Ditto Vimy's process for my car.

Start car, run inside to say "Bye" to mama and the kids, grab my wallet and phone, and I'm off.

[Q451990]

Unfortunately my car is only cold when in my attached garage and I worry about carbon monoxide etc seeping into my house, so I have to move it outside to warm it up.

I've found that just opening the garage door before remote starting will keep it bearable. I've thought of rigging up a CO2 detector to a garage door remote (instead of a siren, it would close a relay and open the door) so I wouldn't have to actually open the door from my kitchen into the garage to open the door... Talk about your major hardships.

As I've said before, automation is good - I'd have my car brew up fresh beer for me and dispense it into a frosty mug when it senses that I've pulled into the garage if I could!

:bearchug :beer

Heath

[maxnix]

I've found that just opening the garage door before remote starting will keep it bearable. I've thought of rigging up a CO2 detector to a garage door remote (instead of a siren, it would close a relay and open the door) so I wouldn't have to actually open the door from my kitchen into the garage to open the door... Talk about your major hardships.

As I've said before, automation is good - I'd have my car brew up fresh beer for me and dispense it into a frosty mug when it senses that I've pulled into the garage if I could!

:bearchug :beer

Heath

I am a garage door opener too, and usually don't drive it until it is close to halfway up to normal.

Seems like the garage could be rigged with a remotely operated tap to pour twelve ounces into a chilled mug in a cooler when signaled.

[AZhitman]

Seems like the garage could be rigged with a remotely operated tap to pour twelve ounces into a chilled mug in a cooler when signaled.

I already have this feature.

As I enter the driveway, a frosty Corona and the remote are waiting for me as i open my car door.

Of course, these 3 features have to be fed and clothed, but they're pretty darn functional.